The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-26
State Fairs in the South.

Interest in State and county fairs is stead
lily increasing in the South. This is Il sure
sign of prosperity Tie people are produc-
ing something they are proud of. They are
anxious for the world to see what they are
| getting out of their soil, forests and mines,
and what their mills are doing. They
are growing richer, and are giving more at
! tention to fine stock. At their fairs in all
the Southern States they can show as fine cat
tie, hogs, sheep and poultry as can be found
in the most favored of the Northern States
| They are just beginning to find out the pos
sibities that are in their soil and climate
for the production of fine fruits. Oranges
have been grown in Florida
since its first settlement, but
what wonderful progress has been
made in improving the quality and increas-
ing the varieties of the fruit within the last
few years! Florida no longer boasts of her
oranges alone. She has many other kinds of
fruit which are being gradually advanced
to the highest perfection. At her Sub
tropical Fair at Jacksonville, next winter,
there will be display of her products that
will cause the hearts of her people to swell
with pride.
One great fair has just ended in this State,
and another began on Monday. Thousands
of people from this and other States are
gathered at Macon this week, inspecting
the evidences of Georgia's growth and pros
perity. They will see great deal that will
convince them that new sources of wealth
are being discovered, and that the old ones
are yielding rich returns.
Last week the Alabama State Fair was
held at Montgomery, and it is probable that
those at the fair who were acquainted with
the productions of the State quarter of a
century ago were amazed at the evidences
of new industries and new sources of wealth.
The portions of the State which were re-
garded as almost worthless when only cot
ton was thought of are now the richest
Iron and coal are taking a leading place
among the States productions, and the
probabilities are that they Will become
more productive sources of wealth than
cotton.
On last Thursday the State Fair of Texas
was opened at Dallas. What marvellous
growth that State has had There were
visitors, doubtless, at the Dallas fair who
and numerous industries of Texas, recalled
with amazement the time, not very distant
when there was scarcely town of impor-
tance within her borders when there were
comparatively few acres of her soil under
cultivation, and when her productions were
so insignificant as to attract no
attention whatever What change has
taken place in few years Texas has now
a population of over Z, 500, 900, more than
20, O00,000 acres under cultivation, and some
1000 miles of railroad in running order
She is already the Empire State of the
South in wealth and population, and if her
growth continues at the same rapid rate
she will be the Empire State of the Union
III another generation.
All the Southern States are growing, and
some of them at a marvellous rate. There
is no better place to see this than at their
State and county fairs Let the fairs.
therefore, be sustained and encouraged in
every possible way. The benefits derived
from them are worth many times their
cost.